


Journey

by ryder77



Series: Life After Zero Requiem [2]
Category: Code Geass
Genre: F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Reincarnation, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-29 23:20:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14483439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryder77/pseuds/ryder77
Summary: A different time. A different world. Different beginnings. Same souls. A reunion sparked a new story. What future will come was theirs alone to bring about.





	1. Restarting From Zero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter was originally the bonus chapter for my other story _Mosaic Tiles_ , but I decided to make it the prologue of _Journey_ instead.

 

 

"I'm sorry that your reunion was cut short."

Lelouch walked behind Kallen as she guided him through the halls of what was made to look like Ashford Academy. She was clad in her old Black Knights uniform, though she appeared to be in her twenties; with her hair reaching her shoulders and without her red headband. He had been wondering why that was, since the others were in casual clothing. Now that reason was revealed.

"As a reward for your success in finally erasing Geass, it has been decided that you will be undergoing rebirth. I was assigned to show you the way, that's why I was called away earlier."

"The others had lived their lives in full, thanks to you," she went on, answering his unasked question about those they left behind at the rooftop. "They will be staying here for a while."

Finally reaching the door to what was the headmaster's office, she continued "You won't be alone. Some already went ahead, and others will follow.

"Souls once together tend to find their way back together. Different, but somehow the same. You've already met Shirley. You might meet again, someday."

Finally, she opened the door for him, then moved to the side to let him pass.

"Good luck, Lelouch."

Without another word Lelouch walked through the door. At first, it seemed that he was walking on a flat surface while he moved deeper in the all-white room. After a while, the emptiness of his surroundings dulled his senses, leaving only an awareness that he existed; memories having long since faded in their insignificance in this place. In any other time, he would have been incredibly concerned about this emptiness in his mind, but right now, it didn't matter; he didn't care.

Then he began to feel again ― it was warm, and he was wrapped in it. He began to hear again ― there was a rhythm near him.  _No, two_ , he corrected; one was a little faster than the other. The sounds and the warmth brought him a sense of comfort, and he felt safe.

Suddenly, everything changed. The rhythms increased in intensity, and the warmth that comforted him suddenly turned painful, forcibly turning his body this way and that. On instinct, he tried to resist, but he also felt that this was all necessary. One of the two rhythms slowly faded, and for the first time in a long while, he felt despair.

_No matter how many times I am reborn―_

An echo of a memory came just before everything changed again. It was suddenly bright, and he began to feel cold, the warmth that surrounded him slowly coming away. Then noise! With the shock of all the sensations overwhelming him after a long period of silence, he did the only thing he could do.

He cried.

-.o.O.o.-

"Congratulations! You have a son!"

Shirley Faust-Lamperouge looked lovingly at her firstborn as she cradled him for the first time.

"Hello, Lelouch."

― _I'll always fall in love with you._

* * *

_**Ten years later...** _

"Give it back!"

The girl tried to make it sound commanding, that she was stronger than this bully, but her asthma made it seem she was begging for her inhaler. In a way, though, she was. She could already feel her breathing become more difficult. What a way to start her first day out of home-school.

"Oh, I don't know," came the bully's voice. "This just might look better on my jacket than yours." The inhaler was indeed made to look like a fashionable accessory, so those who don't need one won't usually know what it was.

"Do that," came a newcomer's voice, "and you'll get kicked out of the rugby team."

All eyes turned to face the newcomer. The bully knew that dark hair, purple eyes, and imperious bearing all too well.

"This isn't corridor 11,  _Demon_   _Emperor,_ " said the bully, drawling out the last two words. "You have no power here."

"You're right, I don't," the relatively smaller boy agreed. "But if coach Villeta finds out you've been keeping your asthma a secret from her, your sports days are over."

The girl's eyes widened at the statement. Asthma was rare in this day and age, where the only ones who had it were those who were born with it. How could this boy know what her inhaler was?

"What are you talking about," the bully asked. "I don't have assham."

"Asthma," the dark-haired boy corrected, wearing a bored expression. "You probably won't understand if I explained, so I'll make it simple. You own that," pointing to the inhaler in the bully's hand, "means you have asthma. You have asthma, you can't play sports."

"Of course," he continued, "if that's not yours, then it means you stole it. That means-"

"Okay, I get it!" The bully had been expelled from two other schools prior to his current one. If he got expelled one more time, his father would ship him to some boarding school. With the suits and ties!

"Cool," the boy responded, holding out his hand. "Now hand it over and I never saw you with it."

But the platinum-blonde bully had a different idea. One quick look at the now heavily-breathing girl, he moved to throw her inhaler into the nearby creek,

Only to find his wrist locked in a painful grip by the smaller boy.

"Bad move, Mao," the smaller boy said as he simply plucked the inhaler from the bully's weakened grip before letting him go.

"You'll pay for this!"

"Put it on my tab, then," was his only reply while he watched the bully disappear from sight. Turning back to the girl, his expression quickly shifted from imperious to alarmed when she fell to her knees, gasping for breath. He quickly handed the inhaler back to her.

"Are you alright," he asked after she had taken a few whiffs and her breathing returned to normal.

"Please," she said, "don't tell anyone." It was a strange request from a victim, but, "if my dad finds out―"

"I know," he replied.

She stared at him in surprise, then disappointment. "He didn't think I can make it on my own, did he?"

"What? N-No," the boy stammered, "It's not like that."

With a huff, she stood up then stomped away. "Sure could've fooled me!"

"Wait," he called out and ran to stand in front of her. "Please, I didn't mean anything when I said that. I just wanted to help. You have to believe me."

The girl was ready to dismiss boy's words off the bat, but somehow she knew they were true. His gaze was penetrating, as if appealing to some hidden part of her. Somehow it felt familiar, and then she simply knew ― she could trust this boy. She nodded, and watched in wonder when the boy smiled in relief. Before long they were walking together to their school.

"Home-school?"

The girl nodded. "My dad finally let me out of the house, for once."

"Because of the asthma."

"It used to be much worse. Open a window and I'll be gasping for air in minutes, they said. I don't really remember much of it.

"How about you," she asked in turn. "Why did that boy call you Demon Emperor?"

"Lulu's got a girlfriend!"

They were passing by a kindergarten. "I'll tell Mom!"

"Go ahead, Odie," the boy called out in return. "And I'll tell Mom you were the rat that ate her favorite strawberries."

"That's not FAIR!"

When they're well out of earshot, the girl went to ask, "Lulu?"

"It's Lelouch."

"Oh," the girl responded. She had read about the boy's namesake when she first managed to crack the password to her dad's computer. While it was no longer as historically significant as it used to be ― thanks to the decree of the late Empress Nunnally ― the title still existed, if only to scare disobedient children. "I see."

"Doesn't matter, " the boy shrugged, though his expression had turned sour. "It's just a name."

She wanted to protest. She had been named after a famous doctor in the hopes that it would help her survive her childhood. She wanted to say that her health was steadily improving because of it; but that would mean he was condemned to become a demon, like his namesake.

She hated her sheltered life, then. What  _would_ be the right thing to say?

"How about you? What's your name?"

"Kallen," she replied, and was rewarded with a bright smile from the boy.

"My great-grandma had the same name."

Glad she was able to lighten the mood, she tried continuing on this topic. "Was she sick all the time, too?"

The boy shook his head. "No, she was a doctor."

The girl's eyes widened in awe. Could it be possible? "By any chance, was Dr. Kallen Sinclair your great-grandmother?"

"Yeah," the boy replied. "You know about her?"

"Know her," she exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement. "I want to  _be_  like her! How she started out at a disadvantage because she was ha half-blood, but managed to overcome them and win freedom for her people; how she decided she wanted to help everybody and became one of the best doctors there ever were ― she's my idol!"

It was the boy's turn to stare at her with awe. From what stories his parents told him about her, he also came to admire his great-grandmother greatly. Until now, however, he was unable to find one to share this with; she was just a name on a textbook as far as his classmates were concerned. This new girl ― a namesake, even ― just changed that, and he was almost afraid it was too good to be true.

"Mom told me a few stories about her," he carefully said, fully expecting to be shot down.

"I'd love to!" The girl burst out, then quickly regained her composure. "I mean, you'll let me hear those stories about her, won't you?"

Before he could answer, they heard the school's bell signaling they only had five minutes to get to their classrooms to start their day, and to go their separate ways. With a sigh of disappointment, the boy turned so that he was face-to-face with the girl.

"Maybe, after school?"

"Okay," the girl replied in resignation, but the brightness in her eyes never wavered. She held out her hand. "I'll see you later, Lelouch."

The boy reached for her hand while replying, "I'll see you later, Kallen."

-.o.O.o.-

_"So, he's gone."_

_Kallen stopped just short of closing the door Lelouch just went through to face the one who just spoke. It was C.C._

_"Yeah," she sighed out. "He deserved it."_

_"He couldn't have done it without you, from what I heard."_

_Kallen shrugged. "It was no big deal."_

_C.C. then struck a thinking pose. "How old were you, again?"_

_"When I died? A hundred."_

_"And how many of those were spent waiting for Lelouch to drop by?"_

_"Fifty," she replied, but then became suspicious. "Why?"_

_C.C. walked closer to her. "So, half your life?"_

_"Yeah," she agreed, not noticing that the door had opened wider behind her. "Though I doubt you're here to give me a math le―"_

_A yelp was the last thing heard from her when C.C. pushed her through the door to rebirth._

_"We **do**  have a script to follow for this, you know?"_

_C.C. turned her head to face Kallen's husband behind her, and grinned her cheshire cat grin. "Where's the fun in that?"_

-.o.O.o.-

From the passenger seat of her son's car, Josephine Faust watched her grandson make a detour from his usual homeward route. The boy was talking animatedly with a new friend. The new friend ―a girl his age ― listened in rapt attention, her steel-blue eyes shining brightly.

"Should we follow them," asked Naoya. It had been a while since they last visited, and they had hoped to surprise the boy with a ride home.

"No," she replied. "Let's go ahead to your sister's."

 _So, I guess the story's not over yet,_  she thought as she watched the two children move further away from them.  _Good luck, Mother_.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea popped up because of the rebirth bits in the Kallen chapter in my other fic _Mosaic Tiles_ , and was partly inspired by the "baby talk" chapter in another fanfic,  _Intimacy_  by spanishcallos in FFN. I hope she decides to post that chapter as a separate story; it would probably get lots of fans as a non-M fic.
> 
> So, I was thinking of making Clovis Kallen's dad, since he does tend to go overboard when things go out of his control, but with a overprotective side that would never want his little princess out of his sight. Odie is Odysseus (sp?). Everybody's essentially the same, but grew up with a different set of circumstances.


	2. Discoveries: Kallen

 

What just happened?

I'm lying in bed with Lelouch, my best friend. We're both catching our breaths. We're also both naked.

When did it all,  _change_?

Since the first day we met, we were connected. Other friends came and went in the next seven years, but the two of us stayed together. People who knew us would say we were inseperable. We walked to and from school together. We went to each other's parties. We spent our vacations together. We even call each other's parents Mom and Dad.

But after that accident a month ago, he suddenly started avoiding me. Neither of us was hurt; he only pushed me out of a bicyclist's way, where we landed in someone's lawn. As we laid on the grass, he just stared at me for a while before he asked me if I was okay. Barely waiting for my response, he simply got up walked away without helping me up. He  _always_  helped me up, asthma attack or no.

He started having excuses to get to school earlier or later than I did. Even if I checked on him during track practice, he managed to avoid me. None of the messages I sent him got a reply. His little brother started noticing, too, and even asked me if we had a fight.

But I didn't know anything! All I knew was that I was suddenly missing a large part of my life ― of my world.

_Why won't he talk to me?_

So when Mom (Shirley, his Mom. I lost mine long ago) called me to house-sit for them, I wasn't sure if I should accept.  _Please! We all know you're the only one who could stand up to Schneizy._ The dog _. And Lelouch would be heartbroken if we come back with him starving to death. It'll only be for two days_! I relented. At least the dog _did_ like me. He might actually make good company.

Imagine my surprise when I entered the back door to see Lelouch there. With the dog. Looking everything like I walked in on an important conversation.

"What are you doing here?!"

We both asked the question at the same time. Since this was his house, I answered first.

"Mom asked me to house-sit; feed the dog. Said you'll all be gone for two days. You shouldn't be here."

His eyes narrowed at my response before he averted his gaze and responded. "Well, the house isn't empty so you don't have to be here, anymore."

"Yes I do," I snapped back at his dismissal. "Whatever your reason for getting left behind," I saw him twitch a little here, "it at was your mom's request that I come here, so I'll stay!"

"Fine," he relented after a big huff, then began to walk away "You know where everything is."

"Yeah," I flinched when I heard him slam the door to his room. As I set to put my bag down, I felt Schneizy the Schnauzer touch my leg. I scratched behind his ears and asked him sadly,

"He hates me now, doesn't he? Can you tell me why?" Schneizy only whimpered. "Boy's talk, is it? Okay, I won't ask anymore."

Lunchtime came with Lelouch and I meeting face-to-face, but not a single word was spoken. Even Schneizy seemed to feel the tension; he couldn't decide who to ask for food. After a while, I decided to prepare the dog food myself; that's what I was here for, anyway. All the while I felt Lelouch's eyes on me, but he never said a word. After the meal, he simply left his dishes in the sink and returned to his room.

As the day passed, I acted as if I was alone with the dog in the house, not bothering to ask Lelouch for something I needed but couldn't find. Or, in this case, for something so high up, I couldn't reach. I don't remember what it was that I was reaching for, anymore, just that I had set the stepladder a little too far to the right. It tilted and I fell.

Into Lelouch, who was suddenly there and broke my fall.

There we were, nearly in the same situation as a month ago; both of us on the ground, both of our hearts pounding from the shock, both of us breathing heavily, our faces so close.

But there was something I hadn't noticed before, in his eyes. There was an,  _i_ _ntensity_ , to them, and some, fear?

"Lelouch," I asked in concern, but he turned his face away.  _So close, yet I still couldn't reach you?!_  Hurt, I buried my face on his chest and let out a sob.

I felt his hand cup my cheek, and I looked up to see his face. There was a pleading in his eyes, but for what I could not begin to guess. The fear was also still there. Here, I made my decision.  _I want to understand. I'm here for you._

I closed the distance and we kissed ― our first ― long, hard, longing; and my world finally felt whole again. After a while, we broke apart, and I was glad to see some of the fear had left his eyes.

Encouraged, I brushed up the hair obscuring his eyes and held it, the way I always did when I wanted him to open up to me. After a slight look of hesitation, a determined look came, one that asked me for complete trust in him. I nodded, and we kissed once more.

After catching our breaths, without words spoken, we got up, I let him lead me to his room. We both undressed, then laid on his bed. We kissed some more, held each other some more. He was so mindful of me, of whether or not I was comfortable, paid attention to every sound I made, every breath I took. He had my inhaler at the ready and he would let me take a whiff once he heard the telltale whistle from my asthma. With the pleasure building up I eventually swatted the thing off his hand, and I was rewarded with the uninterrupted sensations of him and me.

It was a strange experience. It hadn't at all felt like lust ― stranger still to hear a teenager say so. Every kiss, every touch, it was more like, a journey. There was something we both needed to understand about ourselves and about each other, and experiencing each other through sex was our way to reach that understanding.

After a while I felt him shudder, and saw in his face an expression that made him seem lost. I held him close, then, reiterating what I wanted to to convey with that first kiss.  _I'm here for you._ Seconds later his body went slack and I heard him sigh ― music to my ears. It wasn't often that he dropped his Demon Emperor image to allow himself to express his contentment.

Now we faced each other, lying on our sides. Exhausted, but happy. He cupped my face again, casting a worried look when we heard the tiny whistle in my breath from the asthma. I moved his hand to my chest, where the sound was coming from, and he smiled when we heard the whistle subside. He pulled me closer and gave another contented sigh; I did the same. I felt the exhaustion taking me over, but not without letting one more revelation enter my mind from our shared experience.

_I belong with you, and you belong with me. ―_ My promise to both of us.

With the last threads of consciousness leaving me, I thought I heard him say something. I was only aware enough to remember it made me happy, whatever the words were.

* * *

 


	3. Discoveries: Lelouch

Dinner was almost ready. It was time to wake Kallen up.

I go to my room, to find her exactly as I left her. I almost feel guilty to nudge her awake; I had never seen her so peaceful. Part of me wondered if this was part of the "afterglow" all those romance stories were going on about.

Yes, she knew I read them. Had to swear her to secrecy.

I think back to what happened earlier today. I managed to avoid Kallen for a month, then she just showed up at the house. To house-sit. For Mom. Who left the "Fix this!" note at the photo frame with me and Kallen in it.

I already talked with Dad about it. He told me to take all the time I needed. Looks like Mom got impatient.

At first it was just me becoming more protective of her. We were seventeen, now, and it wasn't easy seeing other boys our age looking at my best friend... differently. Teasing her to make her cover her assets better helped for a while.

Then things began to change with me.

I became more aware of how differently she smelled from the other girls. Then, there was this, ache, when I finally drop her off at her house. It all came to a head when I pushed her out of that cyclist's way a month ago, and I felt it all over my body.  _Damned hormones!_  I screamed to myself as I fought for control. But, when I saw how vulnerable Kallen was at that moment, I was suddenly afraid.

I was afraid of being the one ending up hurting her.

The realization sickened me ― I was no different from those I wanted to protect her from, after all.

Avoiding her helped a bit, but I ended up missing her terribly, too. Seeing her, talking to her again today, I was afraid of losing control all over again. Staying in my room seemed like the best option. Although, I was glad that she didn't seem to hate me. I managed to keep my cool during lunch, but I still couldn't bring myself to talk to her.

"You're seeing her as a woman, now," Dad had said. "That's not unusual. But don't forget that she's also your friend. Whatever you decide about your feelings for her, you're already part of each other's lives. You can't just cut her off."

_What if she didn't understand?_

That was it, wasn't it? Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Back in my room, I listened to Kallen moving around the house, while the "Fix this!" note glared back at me. After a while, I thought I'd give it a shot. I followed her sounds to the kitchen where she was trying to reach for something too far to her left. I was about to help out when the stepladder finally tilted, and my protective instinct kicked in.

She didn't seem to be hurt, but it was happening all over again. Being indoors this time seemed to amplify everything I felt last month. With her on top this time, I couldn't just walk away. She gave me a worried look and tried to talk to me, and I looked away. _I can't talk to her like this!_

Then I heard her cry.

_No. No! NO! I never wanted to hurt you!_

I made her look at me, but I couldn't say the words. I had no idea how to make her understand!

When I felt her lips against mine ― my first,  _our_  first kiss ― I felt the connection we always had come in full force. To the rest of the world, I was the one who helped her out because of her asthma. In reality, I was the one who had been leaning on her. Before she came along, I wasn't interested in anything the world had to offer. Since we met, she had been the force behind my greatest achievements ― cheering me on, listening to my rants, cajoling me against giving up. Why did I ever think that pushing her away would solve this?

We broke apart and the look she had in her eyes overwhelmed me. Her  _openness_ , I could only respond in kind. She did that thing she did when she wanted me to fess up, and the choice was made. She nodded and we kissed again; gentler, but not less connected as we were in that first one.

Then I led her here, and everything fell into place. I did my best to keep control ― managing to properly use the condom Dad handed me when we had the talk (just in case, he said), and keeping her inhaler handy ― but I'd say most of it was instinct. No, a language. We never spoke a word until it was over, but I somehow knew what she needed; and she would touch me in ways that said she was okay, that I needn't worry.

After a while she swatted her inhaler away. My concern for it faded, though, when I saw the fire in her eyes, as if daring me to go pick it up. I didn't. After that it was just her and me.

I came back to my senses wrapped in her arms, and I knew there was nowhere else in the world I'd rather be. Even as I watched her drowsy look afterward, even as I hear that tiny whistle in her breathing, she assured me that I needn't worry about her. I pulled her close, suddenly so full of love for this woman, that I spoke the words.

Looking at her now, I wonder if she heard me say it. I'd like to think she did, seeing her smiling like this, and I hope that she felt the same.

I reach out to remove the "Fix this!" note from the photo frame next to my bed, and nudged her awake.


	4. Starting Point

Kallen felt someone nudging her awake, and she opened her eyes to see her best friend's face. "Hey."

She stretched and noticed her uncovered arms. Didn't she come here in a sweater? Noticing her nudity, she quickly shrank back into the blanket.  _His blanket. His bed._  Did they really...?

He held up her bag for her to see, then set it on the bed. "Get dressed. Dinner's almost ready."

"Wait," she called out as he turned and walked away.

"We'll talk. Over dinner," he called back without looking at her when he reached the door. "I'm... here."

She sighed in relief. He was back to his usual self. "Okay," she replied, and he closed the door behind him. A rumble from her belly insisted that she complied with his request, so she got up, reached for her bag, and recalled an important detail.

"Oh."

-.o.O.o.-

Lelouch set two places at the dining table, each across from each other and patiently waited for Kallen. Schneizy padded up to him expectantly, noticably ignoring the dog food that was already set for him.

"Worried, boy?" Lelouch asked, and the dog whimpered back. "We're better, but I'm not sure yet. I guess we'll find out." A bark. "Wish me luck, boy." Another bark, and the dog took his place next to his food and dutifully waited for the signal to eat.

In the next minute Kallen entered the dining room, and Lelouch's mouth dropped open. She was wearing one of his shirts and sweat pants.

"I wasn't planning on spending the night," snapped Kallen. The clothes she was wearing earlier were nowhere to be found, presumably taken by Lelouch to be washed.

That surprised him; her bag seemed full. "Then what was―"

"Knitting," she quickly shot back. "Or have you forgotten Mom's birthday is coming up?"

"Oh, yeah," he responded. Kallen tended to give hand-made gifts, making the most of the extra time she had because of her health. "Can I see it?"

"When it's done," she replied. "But let's eat first, I'm starving."

In a flash, Lelouch pulled back the chair for her. She raised an eyebrow at how he waited for her, standing ramrod straight. The embarrassed sideways nod he gave afterward made her let him play the gentleman.

The meal went on in comfortable silence with Lelouch playing the perfect host. She supposed it was his way for making up for avoiding her. There was still a nervous air to his posture, though, but she decided to wait it out. He did say they would talk.

When the last of the food was consumed they leaned back in their chairs and sighed contentedly, nearly at the same time. Noticing this, they shared a laugh. When the laughter faded, Lelouch took this chance to finally speak.

"Kallen. I'm glad you're here." She looked surprised at that. "I've been an idiot for thinking I can handle this myself, but I know better now. But, please wait till I finish before saying anything." She nodded, and he went on.

"First of all, I'm sorry. For just cutting you off. Like I said, I thought I'd think this over on my own, but I took too long.

"Kallen, you're important to me. As my friend, you were a piece of me that I didn't know I was missing. You already know this, and I'm sure it's the same with you.

"But last month, there was something I never felt before. You're still you, but..." A sigh. "It's been going on for a while, really. I don't know how to describe it but, you've,  _grown_ , on me. In me. I'm not making any sense, am I?

"Anyway, we're not the kids we were, anymore. Growing up isn't something we can avoid, but," Deep breath. "I wanted us to grow with it!"

"I didn't want to be just  _your friend_ , Kallen." The words were flowing out of him, now. "But I was scared. I couldn't bring it up. I didn't know how you'd respond. A part of me didn't want to find out, wanted to just keep us where we've been the past seven years.

"Last month, on that lawn, it became unbearable. I was terrified. Of giving in to the urges. Of ending up hurting you."

"Lelouch..."

"Wait," he cut her off. "Not yet," Another deep breath. "I tried to get it under control, but, it just wasn't the same anymore. So I decided to stay away. I didn't think it would hurt you just the same. I was wrong; I know that now. The way you simply,  _accepted_ me, earlier..."

He reached out across the table for her hands. "Again, I'm sorry. For being a coward. For being an idiot. For hurting you."

Kallen played with his fingers before she entwined her fingers in them and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "Apology accepted... Idiot." They laughed again. "I thought you hated me."

"I can't ever hate you," he protested. "I love you!"

They both blinked, eyes wide as saucers, both surprised at the impromptu confession.

"I..." Kallen's mind was in a whirlwind. Hearing what he just told her made her think back to recent events, herself. A part of her felt guilty for having taken their friendship for granted, for ignoring the changes that have been happening in her, as well. For a while now, she had been feeling disappointed that he wasn't complimenting her as the other boys did, that he didn't seem to notice when she changed her lip gloss, or her new haircut. She also only ever felt safe if she can feel Lelouch near her. Then, she understood.

"Me too."

She blushed all the more hotly when he didn't respond. "I...wanted... the same. For a while."

"So," Lelouch spoke after a long silence. "Are we...?"

 _An item?_ Kallen nodded. "Yeah. I guess."

Lelouch stood, and Kallen was suddenly worried she had said something wrong, but was relieved when he only moved to sit on the chair beside hers.

"Now that we are," he began, taking her hands in his. "Let there be no more secrets between us. My promise to you."

"I promise, too." With that, they embraced.

"I missed you, idiot!"

"I said I was sorry."

"I'm just glad I got you back." She tightened her hug on him once more before letting go. Noticing a hesitant look on his face, she asked. "What is it?"

"Earlier. When we... Did I...? Were you...?"

She blushed, knowing what he was referring to. "Not really. You were a just a bit... much... to take in." she coughed, looking everywhere except at him. "That's all." After a pause, she added,

"It was... nice."

He sighed, relieved. Afterwards, his expression brightened and he stood up. "Let's celebrate with dessert!"

With a flourish, he returned with a bowl of fresh strawberries and set it before her. Kallen gasped. "These are Mom's!"

"I'm pretty sure she won't mind," Lelouch replied, recalling the "Fix this!" note from earlier.

* * *

"Oh, he's on the couch, taking a nap." Kallen's voice. "Welcome back!"

"Thanks so much, honey! I hope the boys didn't give you too much trouble."

In the next moment, a still half-asleep Lelouch felt a weight on his belly, taking his breath away. "Lou! Where  _were_  you?! You should have been there!"

Lelouch pushed his brother off him. "Get off! You're twelve, for crying out loud!"

"No trouble at all," came Kallen's voice again. "Schneizy had everything under control."

"You'll stay for dinner?"

"I'd love to, but I have to go. Daddy made plans."

"Boys! Help me out with the gear!"

"Sure, Dad!" the brothers chorused, and they both moved to comply. As the two teens passed each other at the doorway, they let the backs of their hands brush. Later they'd press their cheeks against them, a new ritual for their new relationship ― a secret kiss.

They'd keep a low profile for now, though those who would find out probably wouldn't be surprised by the development. Still, there was no hurry. They've always been connected, after all. This was just a new, different side of it.


	5. Cruising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an interlude that would give us a peek at the two's relationship from the POV of third-party characters.

_**Conspiracy** _

"What do you  _mean_ my princess isn't a virgin, anymore?!"

Shirley winced. "I'm saying women have a sense for these things. I just thought you'd know. If it's any consolation, it could only be him."

A long groan. "I'm not ready for this!"

"Personally I don't think they'd be at it again anytime soon. What with her health and all."

"Not helping, Shirley."

"Oh, grow up, Clovis. How old were you when you―"

"Let's not make this about me." A pause. "She did seem in good spirits."

"Both of them are. They're finally in love."

A sigh. "Why do they grow up so fast?"

"I know, right?"

"Anyway, thanks, Shirley. Now I'm going to practice not bursting into tears every time I look at her. Bye."

"Good luck, Clo. Bye."

* * *

_**Schneizy** _

"Fix this! she said."

_Uh-huh._

"She didn't think I wanted to?"

_She probably did._

"I do. But I don't want it to be the same, you know?"

 _Do tell_.

"At least you have it easy, boy. You just meet up with your girlfriend and―"

_She's here, by the way. Oof!_

"What are you doing here?!"

* * *

_**Schneizy - 2** _

"He hates me now, doesn't he? Can you tell me why?"

_Ah, if only I could. Apparently I have it easy._

"Boy's talk, is it? Okay, I won't ask anymore."

* * *

_**Schneizy - 3** _

"Let's celebrate with dessert!"

"These are Mom's!"

"I'm pretty sure she won't mind."

_Uhm, can I eat now?_

* * *

_**Demon Empress** _

"So?"

"'So,' what?"

"Are you?"

"Did you?"

"With Lelouch?" A chorus.

"Kallen."

"Oh. Hi, Lelouch. We were just talking about you."

"About me?" An arm wrapped around Kallen's waist. "Anything specific?"

"Nah, pretty vague." She reached an arm behind his neck, pressing her back against his torso. " _Was_  there something?"

"Yes, please clarify," he agreed, moving his lips closer to Kallen's ear, eyes half-lidded, voice turning husky. "We can't have any, misconceptions, floating around."

"Yes," Kallen argreed, her voice sultry. "Rumors musn't run rampant."

Their common friends stared at the spectacle, not daring to breathe as their lips moved closer, and closer...

Then they sputtered. Then guffawed.

"Oh, the look on your faces!"

"NOT cool, you two! Not cool at all!"

"Maybe we tortured them enough?" Kallen asked later, when they were alone.

Lelouch shrugged. "Another two days?"

Kallen sighed. "Gotta admit, it's pretty fun."

"And we make a good team."

"The best."


	6. Speed Bump

Kallen couldn't sit still. Her heart was ready to burst from her chest with the news. She finally qualified for the procedure that would free her from her need of an inhaler. She had been on the list since she was diagnosed of her asthma, but the precedure required that her lungs reached full development before she could be tested.

Yesterday evening the test results came back, and the outlook was positive. A date for her procedure was already set. It would take some months for her body to heal afterward, but once that was over...

She blushed. She would finally be able to keep up with Lelouch.

They hadn't done it again since that first time; they had been perfectly content with discovering new ways to bring themselves closer without putting a strain on her body. It drove some of their common friends crazy, some saying they were the ones getting frustrated instead of the two of them. It was fun, to be honest, finding out they were more formidable as a couple than as just friends, and how they can affect the people around them.

But, she had to admit, the prospect of a whole new set of possibilities...!

She looked up to see Lelouch in the distance, and she stood up to wave at him. He waved back and began to jog towards her. Finally reaching her, he lifted her up and did a twirl, laughing all the while.

"I have news," he beat her to the punch.

"Obviously," she noted, marveling at the brightness in his expression. It was contagious. "Go ahead before you burst!"

"I got in!"

She gasped. Camelot. Full scholarship. Many times he nearly chickened out of applying for it.

"All thanks to you," came his declaration right before he captured her still-open mouth in a kiss. She let him. She knew he could do it. Right now she was so proud of him!

After coming down from their high and a few whiffs from her inhaler, Lelouch declared,

"As an expression of my complete and utter gratitude," he knelt before her, "I am your slave, My Lady. Until sunset."

It was just after ten in the morning. "My, what a tempting offer. Whatever should I spend it on?"

"I have a few ideas."

"Slaves aren't allowed to have ideas."

"Forgive me, My Lady. I thought it my duty to inform her ladyship of two tickets to Clovisland."

"Fine, slave. Lead the way."

The day passed with Lelouch leading Kallen to every attraction he knew she enjoyed, ordering her favorite dishes, winning every prize she even slightly glanced at. So drunk were they in their celebration that Kallen willingly kept her own good news for later. Nothing wrong with going to Clovisland two days in a row. Or maybe even the aquarium, next?

"So," she said when Lelouch was finally dropping her off at the end of the day. "When will you be leaving for Camelot?"

"Next month. Day after graduation."

Her voice died on her throat. It was the exact date of her procedure.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," she quickly composed herself. "So soon, huh?"

"I know. Apparently they're starting this new program and they wanted me aboard early."

She watched his face shine brightly at his excitement. She knew he wanted this, and she wanted it for him as well. She wanted him to go.

_I can't tell him_.

A peck on her cheek snapped her out of her thoughts. "It's all thanks to you. I can never thank you enough."

"You know it," she played along, but she was already falling apart.

_I can't tell him!_


	7. Lost

Shirley Faust-Lamperouge walked into her son's room to find him exactly the way he had been since he came home hours ago ― sitting on his bed, hunched over, and staring ahead.

She had seen him in this state once before. Any attempt to speak with him would produce the same response.

"I don't understand."

She knew what it was all about, but this was something beyond her control. He'd only snap out of it after his body gets exhausted and he fell asleep. Until then, she supposed he tried to think up an explanation for what happened; one that he could accept.

She went to a quiet corner of the house and dialled Kallen's number. It was about time she told her everything she knew. It took five rings before she picked up.

"Hello."

"Hello, honey."

"M―. Shirley, I―"

"Hush, honey. Things doesn't have to change between us."

"I," a choke. "I had to. He can't know."

Shirley sighed. "Because you know he'd give it all up."

"He deserves it, Mom," Shirley smiled at how the girl referred to her. "I've been holding him back long enough. This is his big break. I won't be able to forgive myself if―"

Shirley closed her eyes. The girl was her polar opposite, willing to give up her own happiness so she could let Lelouch go. With Rollie, she threw a tantrum to make him stay. There were no parallels to their love stories to really base off from, but she knew one thing: Kallen and Lelouch were meant to be together. She could only hope that they would find their own way back.

For now, however, a story needed to be told.

"You know, Kallen, he's been like this only once before. He was about three. He met a friend at the park, they were the same age. They played for a while, but then his new friend suddenly collapsed. His friend had asthma."

She heard Kallen grow quiet from the other end of the line and she continued. "He never left his friend's side even as the ambulance came and took them both away. It was only after I arrived at the hospital that he agreed to be taken away. By then his friend was stable, though unconscious. He fell right asleep in my arms when he heard that his friend would be okay. I was able to talk to this friend's father, where we learned that they were supposed to move out that day, but the child managed to slip away to the park.

"When I took him home, I told him about asthma, and how his friend couldn't play like he did. He said he understood, the only way a three-year-old could convincingly tell you, and I assured him that we can go visit at the hospital the next day.

"Except the friend wasn't at the hospital, anymore. Their family doctor decided that she was stable enough to be moved that same evening."

"'She'..?" came Kallen's voice, but she went on.

"Lelouch came home dumbfounded that day. He couldn't understand why his new friend was suddenly gone. I'm not sure what went on between them during the asthma attack, but I think he felt he had let his friend down."

"Kallen, you always wondered how Lelouch knew about asthma when you met eight years ago. Truth be told, that wasn't the day you first met. Though he remembered you as a boy, you were the friend who nearly died in that park.

"Your father contacted me after he saw Lelouch drop you off on your first day off home-school, asking if he was the same boy that refused to leave your side until you were okay. He was."

She heard another sob from Kallen and she paused to listen. After a period of silence she went to say what she felt was true between the two of them. "The story of you and Lelouch began further back than you think, Kallen. Maybe this isn't where it's supposed to end."

"I...I can't!"

Shirley grimaced, feeling the anguish in Kallen's voice, tearing her apart inside. "I understand, honey. I'm sorry. I just love you both so much, you know?"

"I know. Thanks, Mom."

"If you ever need to talk, I'm here. Take care, honey." With that she ended the call and sighed. She could only hope the bond the two had was stronger than this.

She checked on Lelouch again, and found him finally slumped over in exhaustion. She adjusted his position in his bed before finally pulling the covers over him. Hearing him whimper in his sleep, she kissed his forehead.

"Be strong, Lelou."

* * *

Graduation day.

Lelouch received accolade after accolade, but all of them felt empty. He only ever had interest in them because Kallen brought them all into perspective. She was no longer with him. She was physically in a seat some rows behind him, true, but the distance between them went even further than that.

After the ceremonies, they went their separate ways, each joining their own groups in celebrating. As earlier, however, the merrymaking all felt empty to him.

On his way home, he found himself at Kallen's doorstep. He had no plans to come here. He supposed it was force of habit.

"What are you doing here," came a voice behind him. It was Kallen, who seemed to have just arrived. He turned such that he faced her fully.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes. "I know," she replied. "You told me before."

"I'll come back," he declared, moving closer to her. He couldn't tell what her reaction was, with the low light of the late evening, but he went on. "Wait for me."

Kallen frowned. "Lelouch―"

He cut her off with a kiss, one he hoped would convey the sincerity of his promise. He didn't feel her return it. Breaking off, he searched her gaze, and found nothing there.

"Goodbye, Lelouch," was all she said before she entered her home, never looking back.

* * *

_He stood in a large indoor area, somewhat like a warehouse, though much larger. Floodlights provided illumination. There was someone standing right ahead of him, wearing some sort of uniform, their arm stretched across his chest, as if shielding him from the source of the lights. The look was different, but the person felt like..._

_Kallen?_

_"Even now, she seeks to protect you."_

_He was confused. Protect him from what?_

**_Lelouch, what do I mean to you?_ **

_He was about to respond when he noticed other people in the area for the first time. They were all pointing guns at the two of them. Noticing this, only a single thought filled his mind._

**_You have to live!_ **

_"Then act! Before it's too late!"_

Lelouch awoke from the dream, sweating and breathing heavily.

_What did it mean?_

He looked at the clock beside his bed. 3:00 A.M. It was another eight hours before his flight.

_Before it's too late!_

He clutched at his chest. "There's nothing to be done. It's over. She doesn't want me, anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I couldn't write the breakup scene well enough to convince me, much less Lelouch. I was thinking something along the lines of long-distance relationships never working out, but then he'd probably insist on not going, soooo I'll leave that part to your imagination.


	8. U-Turn

Lelouch loaded the last of his luggage into the taxi's trunk and closed it. "That's it, Mom. I'm going."

Shirley kissed her son on the cheek. "Are you sure you don't want us to see you to the airport."

"It's fine, Mom. Besides, it's early." It was shortly before six in the morning. "You know how Odie gets when he wakes up before ten on a Saturday."

Smiling in agreement, she wrapped her arms around him one last time. "My boy is all grown up!"

"I'll miss you, too, Mom."

With one final parting wave, Lelouch's taxi drove away towards the airport.

-.o.O.o.-

Kallen took one last look at her room. It would be a long while before she came back here, so she made sure to bring whatever personal trinkets that could be allowed in her hospital room. Her hands reached out to a photo of her and Lelouch ― one that was taken on Clovisland, when he was slave-for-a-day.

Her trembling fingers traced the outline of his face. They were so happy that day, both of them having received good news, not knowing it would drive them apart.

In three hours, he'd board that flight, his first step in fulfilling his greatest dreams. An hour after that, she would be under the knife, into a possible nightmare. As with any procedure as extensive as what she was about to go through, there was always the risk of falling into a coma.

So, even if he did come back...

"Lelouch." She let the tears fall. "Lelouch!"

She felt her father's arms wrap around her and she let herself be held.

-.o.O.o.-

" _Say, Lou," came Odie's voice. "I'm glad you and Kallen made up."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"I know I'm only twelve and all, but, seriously, she's good for you. I'm your brother and I know you're really a nice person inside, but you were THAT scary before she came along. You were almost that person again when you were avoiding her."_

_"Big words don't go with your squeaky voice, squirt."_

_"Whatever. I like her. You should keep her around."_

_**Lelouch, what do I mean to you?** _

_There it was again. That warehouse. The guns. Kallen shielding him._

**_You have to live!_ **

_A little boy lying on the ground. Gasping. Reaching for him. Eyes wide._

_Kallen's eyes._

**_You have to live!_ **

"Hey, kid." Lelouch woke up with a start. It took some moments to recall where he was at the moment. "That's your flight boarding right now, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he replied while still shaking off the drowsiness. "Thanks."

_That dream again._

He stood up and fell in line towards the boarding gates. Handing over his boarding pass, he heard something fall to the floor beside him. Checking to see, he saw that it was the charm from his phone; one that Kallen made for him years ago.

 _You can't lose this one,_  she had said.  _I made this strap to last. You won't be able to chew it off if you tried._

Indeed, over the years the phones themselves met some accident or other, but the strap of the charm had stayed strong. He bent down to pick it up and inspected it. The strap had broken off at the middle.

"I have to go."

"Sir?"

"I'm sorry. I have to go." He was running, now. He needed to see Kallen.  _No, she needs me!_  So overwhelming was the need to be with her that he was blind and deaf to all others that called his attention. He hailed a taxi and barked out Kallen's home address.

-.o.O.o.-

The nurses were droning out items from the consent forms and waivers one by one. Standard procedure, they said. Kallen wasn't hearing them anymore, she just nodded after each one so they'd move on.

 _He's on that plane, now._ she thought, sadly.  _It'll be my turn, soon._

She and her father signed this set of forms before the nurse went to the next one.

_One more hour._

-.o.O.o.-

Lelouch got off the taxi to find Kallen's home empty, which confused him. He hadn't heard anything about them leaving town. The next-door neighbor found him as he was about to check the back.

"It's today, didn't you know?"

"What is?"

"The operation on her lungs. To get rid of that asthma of hers. What did they call that thing again?"

He didn't care. He was already running back to the taxi. Only one hospital had the facilities for that procedure.

"Earl Stadtfeld Memorial Hospital," he yelled. "And step on it!"

Grasping Kallen's charm tightly in his hand, he hoped he wasn't too late.

_Kallen, why didn't you tell me?!_

-.o.O.o.-

 _It's time_.

She sat down on the wheelchair that would be used to take her to surgery and waited. She turned off her phone as soon as the forms were read to her, needing time to clear her head in the last few minutes before the procedure. She even asked her father to leave after signing the forms, hoping the emotional detachment would make it easier.

Eight hours of surgery on each lung, maybe longer. Five days breathing through tubes. Another five days or so to make sure she could breathe on her own before they take her off general anaesthetic. Painkillers to take over. She would be asleep for twenty days. If she woke up on her own, recuperation could continue at her home. If she didn't...

She went through all this in her mind before, when the results first came out. At the time, she wasn't worried about not waking up; she had Lelouch. The thought of seeing him smiling at her when she opened her eyes, she'd fight tooth and nail out of any coma. Now, she wasn't so sure she wanted to wake up to find him gone.

The nurse finally coming for her surprised her, but she quickly composed herself. They'd be taking the elevator that went directly into surgery, waiting areas for visitors were in another wing altogether. When they got off, it would only be doctors and nurses around her.

The doors to the elevator finally opened and she looked up to see her doctor speaking to an older man in a suit, and a younger man whose gait she knew all too well.

"Lelouch," she gasped out in surprise.

He turned. "Kallen." In the next instant he was beside her.

"It's alright, he's with me," spoke the man in the suit, when the hospital staff moved to take Lelouch away. "Give us a moment with the patient."

"Why are you here?"

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Camelot was your dream. I can't take that away from you."

"I'd rather have no Camelot than Camelot without you," he countered. "You know this."

That struck her, but she refused to back down. "I've been holding you back for so long. It was my chance to finally give back."

"By keeping secret from me the possibility of you never waking up again?"

They stared at each other then ― a moment of truth. Neither dared to break the silence, letting their feelings speak volumes through their eyes. Anger. Apprehension. Fear. Desperation. Acceptance. And, finally, love. They let their foreheads touch when they broke their gaze and held each other's hands.

"Answer me this, Kallen," he whispered, his tone determined. "Do you want me there when you wake up?"

"Yes," she quickly replied. "Oh, yes."

Lelouch leaned back with a gleam in his eyes ― one that she knew meant he was about to do something crazy.

"Uncle," he called out, his eyes never breaking contact with hers. "Can we call the chaplain up here?"

"I suppose we can," replied the man in the suit. "What do you need him for?"

"I wish to marry Kallen immediately."

"What?!" Three voices chorused.

"By law, in the threat of imminent death, the chaplain in a hospital can solemnize a marriage, given the consent of the parties invovled and the presence of two witnesses. The risk of perpetual coma falls under this category, correct?"

"Wait, Lelouch," the older man countered. "Even if you both consented, you're too young."

"Eighteen," spoke Kallen, heart pounding. She understood what he was trying to do, and already she could feel a happy warmth spreading throughout her body. "We're both eighteen."

Lelouch saw the gleam in her eyes and he felt the same warmth spread through him. This was it, he thought, the true nature of their connection. As long as they were together; as long as they're of one mind, one heart,

_Anything was possible!_

"Director Faust?"

"Do it."

* * *

"I'm sorry I put you through all that, Uncle."

Naoya Faust, third-generation director of the hospital glanced at his nephew as they walked to his office. After an emergency wedding and a promise to his new wife, the young man finally let himself be led away.

"Think nothing of it. All the requisites were met; everything's binding. All else was director's privilege, anyway. I was just surprised you actually approached me for something. You always hated asking for favors."

"I guess I'm that desperate."

"She's that special, huh?"

Lelouch smiled. "She is."

"You do realize you effectively hijacked next-of-kin rights from her father, right?"

"I do. I'll talk to him."

"I'll page for him later. Right now, you need to get some rest. You look like you've been all over the place." Finally in his office, he guided the younger man to the sofa to sit. "You still like your coffee white?"

"Yeah. No sugar. Thanks, Uncle."

"My boy, we're family. Don't forget that." With that, he left to prepare the coffee, and some tea for himself.

He had heard stories from his sister about how Lelouch and the girl, Kallen, had been inseperable as children, and how they later became a couple. He hadn't expected to see the 'magic', as Shirley called it, in action. Now that he had, he supposed he could call it 'magic', too.

He turned around, cups in hand, to see that his nephew had fallen asleep where he sat. Sighing at the sight, he moved the younger man into a more comfortable position. He'd let him sleep for now; the surgery won't be over for hours yet. Shirley would need to be informed, though.

"Sleep and dream of your lady love, Lelouch. We'll keep watch."


	9. Intersection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick heads-up for POV shifts. With the limited formatting styles available, it's pretty tough to clearly mark them. I tried to make it clear who was speaking when, but not too detailed that would ruin the effect I was going for. However this chapter ended up in your head is okay, 'coz that means your imagination is working :)

Kallen raised an arm to shield her eyes from the intense artificial light, momentarily surprised why that was so. Wasn't she just counting down for the anaesthetic to take effect?

Eyes adjusting, she saw that she wasn't in the operating room, anymore. She was also pretty sure the hospital didn't have a single area this large. Looking around, she became aware of another presence. A man, possibly the same age as her, wearing some elaborate costume. When her eyes reached the mask he was wearing, she was struck with the thought that this was―

"Lelouch?"

He was looking upwards ahead of him, his entire posture was fight-or-flight. She followed his gaze and her eyes widened at the sight of multiple guns aiming at him. In the next moment she heard collective clicks from them, and she moved.

"Wait!" She stood in front of Lelouch, arms wide, with no thought at all for her own safety.

"I knew you'd make that choice," came a voice from just beside her. "After all, I did the same."

A woman was suddenly there, wearing some sort of uniform, with her left arm outstretched in a protective gesture, a determined look on her face. "It was at this moment that I finally came to terms with my feelings for him; that I would be willing to go to hell and back just to make sure he was safe."

"But I wouldn't have it."

Lelouch was surprised to find himself back in this warehouse, with the threat to himself and Kallen's lives hangng over their heads once again. Except this time, the voice that spoke before finally took form ― a man in an elaborate costume and mask stood right beside him.

"You felt it as well, didn't you?" the man in the mask asked him. "You know what would happen here, at this moment, if I answered her truthfully."

 _ **Lelouch, what do I mean to you?**  _The question echoed throughout the area, bouncing off the walls, then settling in their bones.

"She'd deliberately put herself in harm's way," Lelouch replied.

"You were trying to do the same thing, weren't you?" The woman spoke again. "Nothing so dramatic, just at some different level. Your own little way."

"The scholarship," Kallen responded.

The woman nodded. "What you didn't realize, though, was that you were willingly putting your own life in danger."

"I didn't―"

"She did, didn't she? Going under the knife in her emotional state," Lelouch stated. "it greatly affects her body's ability to heal, thus increasing the chances of falling into a coma. It was especially so for the procedure for her lungs. That's why the screening process involved evaluating the patient's social circle."

The man in the mask nodded. "So, you see, with your ignorance of the danger she was in, I had to intervene."

 _The dreams_. Lelouch stared at the masked man. There was a familiarity to the man, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Giving up, he went on to ask.

"Who are you?"

An amused "Hm?" came from the man before he reached up to remove the mask. "Why, I'm you, of course."

"I tried to change your mind, but your mindset was so akin to mine at this moment, it was near-impossible to make you think differently. You were so sure of your feelings for him that you truly believed it was what was expected of you, so much that I was almost worried bringing you two together early on was a mistake.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, you completely failed to take into account what Lelouch wanted."

"What do you mean?"

 _ **Kallen, you have to live.**_ The words echoed all around her, and settled in her heart.

"Fortunately, you wanted that for her early on, I only needed to reawaken it." The now unmasked man moved to where the image of Kallen was standing, immobile. "In a way, I envy you. Keeping her close to you ensured her survival." He caressed a gloved hand upon her cheek. "I needed to push her away."

"So many times, I wondered how it could all be different," the woman spoke again. "What if I never held back, never had my doubts, would it have come to this? Would I never have needed to walk away?" She was cupping the man's mask in her hands, almost as if moving to remove it, but she dropped them back to her sides. The woman turned to face her, now. "I know now that what eventually happened was what was expected of us. The world needed us to make the choices we made then."

"We were called by destiny to change the world," explained the man. "As such, we needed to look beyond our own desires, no matter how well within reach they seemed to be in what I, WE, hoped to achieve."

"Now, there is no need to make so great a sacrifice. What you have, it's magical, and is the product of many people's hearts making the wish to make it possible. For you. For him."

"Who are you?" Kallen finally asked. "How do you know so much about me?"

The woman smiled at her. "I'm you."

Kallen suddenly felt a moment of doubt. "If you're me, and that's Lelouch..."

"...then what I felt about her―?"

"Is yours," the man finished for him. "Your choice, your own free will."

"But the connection we felt," Kallen protested. "It was so strong."

"A by-product of having lived a previous life with each other," replied the woman. "Even without memories of past lives, a sense of recognition remains between souls. It's much like picking out an old friend's face in a sea of strangers. What you decided to do with it was your own choice."

"But―!" Both Kallen and Lelouch protested, when the memory of their first sexual encounter surfaced. Both of them lying there, bare for the other to see. Total honesty. Total trust. Both deciding to take the plunge themselves, with each other.

With the desire to become closer than they ever were ― a desire that was theirs alone.

All doubt falling away, their past images smiled at them one last time before the warehouse faded away and Kallen and Lelouch, who they were now, faced each other in the emptiness.

"We've made our choices, the past is already written," came the man's voice, slowly fading into some unseen distance.

"The future," came the woman's voice, also fading away, "is open. It's what you make it to be."

"Now show the world what future is possible," both spoke at the same time,"with the two of you.

"As one."

They ran towards each other, then engulfed each other in an embrace, the revelation that just took place already fading from their minds.

"I want to hold you like this forever," declared Lelouch.

"Me, too," replied Kallen. "But you can't stay long," Confused, Lelouch pulled back to see her beautiful face slowly fading.

"It's alright, Lelouch," Kallen assured him. "You're just waking up."

"Will  _you_  be alright?"

"I am," she replied as she lifted his left hand to her cheek. "Just be there."

"I will. I love you," Lelouch declared.

"I love you, too," she answered back just as Lelouch woke up completely and her image gave way to the ceiling of the hospital director's office, his hand still outstretched to where her face was.

He turned his outstretched hand to see two bands on his fingers ― their wedding bands, hastily-fashioned from the strap of Kallen's charm that broke off when he was at the airport. For now he had both of them, as she wasn't allowed it during the operation. When they take her out of surgery, they'd let him put hers back on her finger, where it belonged.

For now, only his uncle knew. He'd eventually have to let her father and his own family know, too. Truth be told, he'd rather they made the announcement together, but it would be weeks before she woke up. They needed to be informed before then.

"I miss you already," he whispered to her band before planting a kiss on it.

Just then, the door to the office opened, and his uncle entered.

"Good, you're awake. I made dinner reservations. Your mother's already on her way."

He nodded in acknowledgement and took a deep breath.  _Time to face the music._


	10. Idling

Deep blue eyes opened blearily in the low light of the room their owner was in. Due to their extended period of disuse, it took a few slow blinks before they could focus enough to recognize movement. In the next few moments, the mind of their owner slowly came to recognize sound as well.

"...ease ...nd back, sir."

Eyelids were pulled back and a brighter light source was passed through each eye, before a face placed itself ahead of them.

"Can you hear me?"  _You. Me._  Words. Conscious thought was slowly returning to her.

"Blink twice if you understand me." She complied. "Now I need you to take a deep breath. Can you do that?" She did so, but someting stung.

"That's okay," came the voice again. She must have winced. "Try again. Slowly, this time." She did so. Once. Twice.

"Very good. Now let's try taking this off you." Something was removed from her face. "Now let's have those deep breaths again." She complied, while the person (a doctor?) pressed something cold against her chest, changing locations every few moments.

"Very good. Very, very good," the doctor said as he put his stethoscope away. "Now, can you tell me your name?"

"Kk-," she swallowed before trying again. "Kallen..."

"Welcome back, Kallen. Try not to exert yourself. We'll talk again after you've rested some more. For now, there's someone here who's dying to talk to you."

The doctor nodded to someone just out of her line of sight before leaving, and a new face came into view.

"Hey," came the whispered greeting. She knew the face, but she was confused. She searched her memory best she could to recall why it was he who was there and not her father.

Not that she was complaining, mind you. She just had this feeling that there was something, important.

She lifted her hand to brush off some of the hair that obscured his eyes, saw the reminder of that important thing, and she smiled.

"Good morning, husband."

Lelouch let out the breath that he was holding. "Good evening, wife."

She basked in the feeling of Lelouch's lips on her forehead, sighing contentedly before asking. "What time is it?"

"Just after visiting hours. Your Dad just left when you stirred."

Kallen hummed her acknowledgement and closed her eyes. There were still cobwebs in her mind that made it difficult to put into words what she wanted to ask him.

"They already know," Lelouch supplied for her. Sometimes, it really did seem they could read each other's minds.

"How did they take it?"

Lelouch made a face. "Surprisingly well."

He told her the story of how his uncle had arranged a dinner with his mother, Shirley, and her father, Clovis, on the very same evening they married. Clovis had already been at their table, studying the menu, when Lelouch had arrived with his uncle. Shirley had arrived about fifteen minutes after that.

"Sorry," she had said. "I had to drive all the way to the airport, first. Something about," she paused, giving Lelouch a sideways look, "abandoned luggage."

Lelouch had winced then. The airline had beat him to it.

The meal had passed without incident, until it was finally time for Lelouch to explain himself.

"You proposed!" Shirley was already hugging him.

"No, Mom. I didn't propose to her." With great effort but with equal determination, he had turned his gaze to meet Clovis' eyes and had boldly declared,

"I married her."

Blue eyes had widened even as determined violet ones held their ground. Whatever Clovis had to throw at him, he would take. The decision to marry her was spur-of-the-moment, yes, but he had no regrets. He loved her. He wanted to see her happy. If Clovis couldn't see that―!

Finally the older man had broken his gaze, running his hand over his face, letting it settle over his mouth. For a while, his expression had been unreadable, until he finally took a deep breath and said―

"Pay up, Shirley."

Lelouch blinked. So did Naoya.

Shirley huffed. "I was sure he'd propose. It was the more romantic thing to do."

"Well, we men have a sense for these kinds of things."

"What?" was all Lelouch could manage.

Naoya groaned. "You were betting over your children?"

"You've seen the magic, Brother," Shirley countered. "When the airline called, there was only one place Lelou would go."

"And I hoped he would," supplied Clovis. "Kallen was miserable without him. When Shirley called that we meet here, I was sure he did go back for her."

"So, you see," Shirley went on. "It was only a matter of what would make her the happiest girl in the world."

"Or him being the happiest man on earth," finished Clovis.

The next few minutes had been spent by both parents talking about when to have the proper ceremony (It  _must_ be in the summer. Summer designs simply  _belong_ on her!), to where they'd live (There's this house for sale just a few blocks over. Oh, that one! It  _is_  lovely!); even their honeymoon destination (Somewhere in the Pacific. She always wanted to try surfing. Oh! I know this great travel agent...).

Finaly snapping, Lelouch had slammed his palms on the table and stood. Addressing both parents, "Don't Kallen and I get a say in any of this?!"

With which Lelouch concluded his tale.

"I'm surprised that I'm not surprised," said Kallen.

"About them taking the news, or the bet?"

"The bet," she replied. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "I think I caught Daddy talking with Mom over the phone a couple of times." Her eyes were sliding closed even as she tried to keep them open. She soon felt Lelouch's hand on her cheek.

"You're tired," he observed. "Go ahead and sleep." She nodded.

"Stay," came her whispered plea.

"I will," he responded before kissing her forehead once again. "Good night." She was already fast asleep.

Lelouch was beyond relieved. It was barely ten minutes, but hearing her voice again after so long was the best thing that happened since they exchanged their vows. Not to say that there was any bad news before this evening ― the doctors said the procedure had gone swimmingly well, almost as if whatever text that was written about the procedure had her case in mind ― but nothing simply compared to the reunion that just took place. It was the first step to a fairly long road to full recovery, and he already promised himself he would be there for her every step of the way. The rest of the world would have to wait.

He reached out to her face once more and tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. He still coudln't get over the fact that she was indeed the friend he thought he lost long ago. When it was revealed to him during that dinner, he didn't care that he hadn't made the connection on his own. He felt a peace that he had never known before, as if a demon that long haunted him had finally been banished. He felt that everything was right with the world.

That he was exactly where he belonged.

He felt his phone vibrate and he read the message that just arrived.  _Come to the office._  It came from his uncle. He gave Kallen's hand a kiss before whispering "I'll be right back," and proceeding to see his uncle. All the while he was wondering what it was about, at this late hour.

He found the office with its blinds closed, which meant his uncle had another guest. He knocked loudly and announced himself. He turned the knob when his uncle's instruction to come in came.

"Get him!"

In the next second he found himself pinned to the sofa, with both his arms being held down by―

Two girls barely in their teens, with a third one staring him down.

"Gotcha!"

"Is this necessary," came his uncle's voice. The man was standing up, and the question was directed to whoever was sitting in his chair. That meant whoever the person was, was important.

"Excellent work, girls." The voice was deep, and raspy with age, which made Lelouch put his guard up. "Now, let's get a good look at him." The man stood up from the director's chair revealing his dependence on a cane, the handle of which was placed under Lelouch's chin when the man finally stood before him.

"Tell me young man," he directed the question at Lelouch. "Do you know who I am?"

Lelouch felt his blood run cold. He knew who the man was. Never in his wildest imagination did he ever picture himself coming face-to-face with this man, much less in what seemed to be an interrogation.

"I can see that you do," the man spoke again. Clearly meeting a man of his status had left Lelouch speechless. "I'm sure you're also wondering why I'm here. To tell the truth, it was simple curiosity." A pause. "I wanted to see for myself what sort of person,

" _Would dare to snub Camelot!_ "

 _Oh no._  In his single-mindedness for Kallen's well-being, Lelouch forgot all about sending a notice of his withdrawal from Camelot. Now, the director himself came for him, personally. All the way from Neo-Pendragon. And he didn't sound at all pleased. Which meant a simple apology now couldn't solve this.

_This can't be good._


	11. Counting Down & Taking Off

"Lelouch," Kallen whispered even before she opened her eyes. She had this feeling that he was calling her. She opened her eyes fully when she didn't receive a response from him.

"Ah, you're awake," came a much older man's voice. She didn't recognize it to be of any of her doctors'. Lelouch was nowhere to be found.

"Lelouch is rather, tied up, at the moment," the man supplied. "The hospital director asked me to sit with you until he was done with him.

"My name is Arthur," he introduced himself, holding out his hand.

"Kallen," she responded, accepting and giving the man's hand a shake.

"Kallen," he expressed his surprise. "Like the doctor?"

Kallen nodded. "I was named after her."

"It suits you," he complimented. "There's a strength in your eyes, just like her."

"Thank you." Kallen blushed at being likened to her idol.

"Do you mind if we talked a bit more?"

"If you don't mind me suddenly falling asleep," she warned, with a laugh, and winced.

"Your stitches haven't fully healed yet; my apologies. I promise, no funny stories." She smiled back at his consideration.

"I heard Lelouch made it into Camelot."

"He did," Kallen replied, smiling briefly at the memory of their day at Clovisland. "We even celebrated when we found out."

"Had he always wanted to go?"

"Yes," she replied. "But he almost didn't submit his application. I had to give him a lesson about regrets."

"Regrets?"

Kallen breathed a deep sigh before explaining. "He and I were best friends since we were young. ― _er_." She quickly added the suffix, considering present company. "I had a weak body, you see, so there were so many things I could only ever imagine. He was healthy, and very intelligent, but also very uninterested. Camelot was something we both dreamed about, but between the two of us, he had the better chance. In a way I bullied him into at least trying because I never could.

"And when we got the news, he was ecstatic, and I was so proud of him. I wanted him to go."

"Then why didn't he?"

"It's... complicated."

"I'd like to hear it just the same."

Kallen sighed once and turned her head to face the man directly. "What  _would_  you like to hear me say,

"Prince Arthur of Camelot?"

The man was mildly surprised. "So, you know who I am."

Kallen nodded. "Fifth and youngest son to Her Majesty, Nunnally vi Britannia; currently nineteenth in line to the throne after your elder siblings' children and grandchildren; unmarried; known intellectual; director of Camelot for over fifty years."

"And," she finished, "Dr. Kallen Sinclair's most high-profile patient."

"Impressive."

"Your lapel pin sort of narrowed it down, too," she pointed out, earning an "Oops!" from the man. She waited a moment before continuing. "Dr. Kallen is also my idol," she explained. "I hoped to follow in her footsteps, someday."

"'Hoped'?"

Kallen shrugged. "I already lost my chance, because of my operation. Not many universities offer scholarships if you're not fresh out of high school. It would be a while before I can even be healthy enough to find a job, even longer before I could raise the money to pay for medical school."

"But," she quickly added, "I have Lelouch, now. We'll have to talk this over. I'm sure we'll think of something."

"Why would you need to talk this over with Lelouch?"

"He's my husband," she replied.

"You're married?" Arthur was unable to hide his surprise.

"Yes, right before my surgery," she blushed at the memory, and let the warmth she felt back then spread throughout her body. "I still don't know how he found out about my surgery ― I never told him, since it coincided with his flight to Camelot ― but he caught me right before the procedure, and we married right there and then. That's also why my hospital documents still use my maiden name."

"I see," Arthur spoke, "That definitely complicates things."

-.o.O.o.-

Lelouch hadn't slept a wink.

The three girls watching him had taken turns taking short naps (even using him as a pillow), but he stayed awake. He couldn't sleep, not until Prince Arthur came back and he was sure he hadn't upset Kallen.

He had listened to what they had to say, which pretty much translated to " _come back to Camelot with the four of us, or else"_. He had said he wasn't going to commit to anything, only that he would send them a proper response after Kallen had fully recovered.

"Kallen?"

"A patient here," his uncle had explained. "A childhood friend of his." The fact that his uncle had omitted mention of their true relationship didn't escape Lelouch's notice.

"I'd like to speak to this Kallen."

"She only just came out of a drug-induced coma, Arthur. She's resting."

"Then I'll wait till she wakes."

"Uncle!"

Naoya had held out a hand for Lelouch to stay silent. Addressing the older man, he went on. "Arthur, prince or no, if you as much as upset any of my patients, I will have you escorted out of my hospital immediately. Have I made myself clear?"

"Very well. You can come and make sure I won't. Keep him here, girls."

"Yes, Grand-uncle."

That was over eight hours ago. The sun was already shining through the gaps in the blinds. They still haven't heard anything, and Lelouch partly hoped Kallen didn't wake up and they'd lose interest.

"Say," said the girl sitting to his right, the most feminine of the three. "Is Kallen pretty?" So much for losing interest.

"Of course, she is," came the response from the one on his left, the tough girl. "All men are suckers for pretty faces."

"However," came the voice of the third girl whose eyes never seemed to leave the tablet she carried, "considering Lelouch's scores that got him accepted to Camelot, she would have to be smart, too. Able to at least keep his mind stimulated in more than just academics. Isn't that right, Lelouch?"

"She's both of those and more," Lelouch found himself answering while one hand fiddled with the band on his finger. "I don't expect you to understand."

"Because we're young? Truth be told, the three of us are the only other people in the program you qualified for."

"And we were just  _so_  happy to have someone new aboard―"

"―that we were all disappointed you didn't show."

"What are you three, anyway," Lelouch finally let his curiousity take over. "Triplets?"

"Cousins," said the tough girl. "All born within thirty minutes of each other, we practically  _a_ _re_ triplets."

"I'm actually the eldest," said the one with the tablet. "But my folks lived further east, so―"

"Her birthday's a day after ours," chorused the other two.

"Don't worry about Kallen, Lelouch," offered the girl at his right. "Grand-uncle Arthur's only doing this because he didn't like seeing us sad."

"Yeah. He's not married, but he hates seeing girls sad―"

"―so we don't think she'd get the same treatment you did."

Somewhat relieved, Lelouch let some of the tension he felt melt away. "Thanks. But all the same, I'd like to see for myself."

"By the way," he quickly added, "do you always complete each other's sentences like that?"

"What are you talking about?" came the three-way chorus.

In the next moment, a beep came from the tablet the eldest girl was holding. "Grand-uncle wants us to go to Kallen's room, now."

Lelouch was already running out the door before the statement was over. Arriving first, he immediately sought out Kallen's gaze. She held out her hand to him when their eyes met, and he was at her bedside instantly.

"I'm fine, Lelouch," she spoke ahead of him. His worry was probably evident. As with other times where their emotions were high, the rest of their conversation was done through their eyes. Satisfied, Lelouch stood up and faced Arthur. Naoya was already there. The girls arrived shortly afterward and were instructed to lock the door behind them.

"Before anything else," Arthur began, "let's all get to know everybody. We already know who I am, Naoya, Lelouch, and Kallen," he said, nodding to each of the adults in the room in turn. "These are my grand-nieces, Gwen," the feminine one. "Kay," the tough girl, "and Merle. They're part of the new program in Camelot that Lelouch was supposed to be a part of."

"If you don't mind," he went on, "I'd like to start with the bad news. Girls, he's not coming back with us. I'd be a hypocrite if I forced Lelouch to leave this young lady in her current condition.

"However," he quickly added over the sounds of disappointment from the girls and addressed Lelouch directly, "I must insist that you join the program before the year is out. That should be more than enough time for Kallen to fully recover."

Lelouch felt Kallen's hand clutch at his sleeve. It meant whatever he decided, he had her support. He knew that Kallen would need until midsummer to recover completely, but he wasn't sure he could just leave her or take her with him afterward.

"You're conflicted," Arthur observed. "Again, understandable. Kallen told me this interesting little story about what happened on the date of your flight." Here, Lelouch exchanged a look with his uncle; he didn't seem worried. "What I learned from it required another big change in plans.

"You obviously can't live in the student dorms with your wife." A squee from Gwen was quickly cut off with a look from her grand-uncle. "And finding a place close enough but outside Camelot will be beyond expensive, even for two people with full-time income.

"Then I remembered this place from when I was younger, and sick all the time. It was built for my doctor, so she would be close by when I needed her. When Camelot expanded, the property included the land the house was in, though my doctor had long since moved back to her ancestral home by then. But the house still stands."

"Lelouch. What do you say to living in the Sinclair House with  _your_  Kallen?"

A gasp from Kallen and a slight tightening at his sleeve gave him the response he needed.

"We accept."

"But," Lelouch quickly added, "there is this one thing."

Arthur smiled. "I had a feeling you would bring it up."

-.o.O.o.-

"You did that on purpose," accused Arthur as they walked back to Naoya's office.

The latter shrugged. "Guilty as charged. I wanted you to meet them both before deciding anything."

"It's good that you did. I see a bit of the good doc in her."

"Thanks for letting them have the house."

Arthur waved it off. "The house does rightfully belong to your family. If anything, I'm giving it back. Besides, Camelot will be better with both of them around."

"You saw it, then?"

Arthur nodded. "The potential is there. What it can be is entirely up to them."

"So long as they stay together."

* * *

-.o.O.o.-

* * *

"So, here we are."

With their duffel bags still upon their shoulders long after the taxi they arrived in already left, Lelouch and Kallen stood some distance in front of what was nicknamed the Sinclair House, named after its well-known former occupant.

Dr. Kallen Kouzuki Stadtfeld-Sinclair.

Lelouch felt Kallen reach for his hand and he grasped it. He could only imagine how she felt, getting to stand this close to where her idol and namesake once lived with her husband.

With  _her_  own husband, no less.

He took a glance at her and wondered once more at her now fiery-red hair, highlighted by the late afternoon sunlight. It had always been a deep burgundy while they were growing up. Apparently, after the operation on her lungs, the oxygen saturation in her blood improved dramatically, which was the only explanation they could give for the change. Looking at her now, standing here, people might just say that Dr. Kallen was coming home.

Which, in a way, was also true. As part of the deal they made with Prince Arthur, she was given a chance to apply for a scholarship to pursue medical studies at Camelot, long after the usual cutoff. When the results came out, she was more than qualified. Arthur had actually offered to give the scholarship outright, having heard Kallen's story, but Lelouch insisted on going through the standard procedures.

(Just humor him, Arthur. He hates getting special treatment, according to Naoya)

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming."

"A dream come true," Lelouch replied, giving her hand a squeeze.

Kallen's recovery hadn't been without its own mishaps. There were times she over-exerted herself, drunk as she was with her newfound freedom from her asthma. With his training in the track team, Lelouch became her personal coach, setting limits that would let the rest of her body catch up with her now-stronger lungs, step-by-agonizingly-slow-step. It was only when Lelouch was satisfied with her progress did they agree to start with the wedding plans (which they agreed to do for the sake of their families), and contacting Camelot.

And so after a simple ceremony and an intimate dinner with their families, they flew straight here to start their new lives together.

The front door to Sinclair House opened to reveal Merle. "Just how long do you two plan on just standing there?"

In the next moment, they were divested of the bags on their shoulders. Gwen and Kay had relieved them of their burdens.

"Your suitcases are already in the master bedroom," said Gwen. "And your wedding presents are in the living room."

"The fridge is stocked, and so are the cupboards. You're good for two weeks," added Kay.

"Pipes and power are all upgraded," supplied Merle, stepping aside to let her cousins pass. "Security is also online, if you will just give me your prints here," she held out her tablet to them, where they pressed their fingers as instructed. "Thank you. The house is all yours!"

"Welcome home!" said Gwen, hugging the both of them as she exited the front door again.

"Your schedules are on the fridge," popped in Kay. "You have ten days or so to get to know the place. Have fun!" She finished with a slap on Lelouch's back.

"Y-e-e-ah," said Merle, apparently run out of something to say, until she remembered something. "Oh, Grand-uncle had Dr. Kallen's old car refurbished. The keys are in the ignition. Your prints are good, too, if you're not into all that nostalgia thing." She then left to join the other two to where their bikes (or in Kay's case, a scooter) were parked.

"Don't be late!" Each of the girls drove away waving back at them.

Lelouch and Kallen waved at the cousins until they were out of sight.

"We forgot to say thank-you," observed Kallen.

"Well," Lelouch said, pulling her close. "We can thank them in ten days,"

"That we can," she agreed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"The house is ours."

"They did say that," after which Kallen yelped when Lelouch lifted her up; she was expecting a kiss when he bent down. Lelouch said nothing as he carried her through the front door and kicked it closed.

"Welcome home, wife," declared Lelouch, before finally lowering his face to capture her lips. Kallen giggled into the kiss, in full agreement with his statement.

They broke the kiss and Kallen twisted her upper body, expecting to be let down, but Lelouch had other ideas. He pulled her back, which made her face him, and she saw the intensity in his eyes that she only saw once before. He captured her lips again, this time pouring his heart into it, expressing his preparedness to be one with her once more. When Kallen kicked off her shoes, he had his signal to proceed.

He carried her straight to the bedroom, with her planting kisses on his jaw and whatever her lips could reach of his handsome face the whole way.

Kallen was nervous. This would be their first time as a married couple. They had waited the whole time she was recovering, and decided to make it all the more special and waited until after they had the proper ceremony. And, with her body's improved condition, this would be nothing at all like their first time.

Lelouch let her down gently on the bed, before he kicked off his own shoes and joined her. They kissed again while pulling each other as close as possible with their clothes still on, giving their bodies the chance to be reacquainted in preparation for what was to come.

Things flowed differently this time, as well. Before, they undressed themselves, making it clear that each was making the choice as individuals. Tonight, they undressed each other, as if unwrapping one's gift of themselves to the other. Before, they focused on their connection, where they came together as separate entities. Tonight they focused on their unity, exploring each other's bodies as if they were extensions of their own.

Kallen enjoyed her newfound freedom, breathing in Lelouch's scent fully, every chance she got, even as Lelouch busied himself with leaving her breathless. When their bodies finally joined, it felt like their entire being was singing to celebrate their long-awaited reunion.

When ragged gasps and desperate cries finally made way to sighs of contentment, they held each other closer still. Lelouch's right hand sought out her left. Interlacing their fingers, he brought it up to between their chests, where they could feel their hearts beating, made even stronger with how closely they held each other.

"Kallen," he began. "I don't know what the future has in store. But as long as we're together, we can make it work. We can make things happen."

"I belong with you," she responded, "And you belong with me. I was the idiot for believing otherwise."

"I'd like to think we're stronger now for it," he supplied. "At least  _you_  are. Your lungs stole the show just then."

Kallen blushed hotly, recalling how she screamed when they found her secret spot. "That was―"

"I loved it," he interrupted, already moving to position himself above her. "I want to hear it again," he declared, kissing her deeply once again.

They made love once more that night, before finally giving in to the exhaustion from their trip and their union, wrapped still in each other's arms.

* * *

-.o.O.o.-

* * *

"Kallen, are you in position?"

"I am," she replied. "But I can't see a thing."

"That's fine. They can't see you either. We need to time this perfectly."

"Okay. Just tell me when. Lelouch, whatever happens―"

"I love you, too. Three seconds. Two. One―!"

"GO!" they chorused. In the next moment, they were engulfed in a bright light, followed by the darkness of red emergency lights of the Knightmare Frame cockpits where they each sat in.

"Kallen!"

"Lost power, but life support's active. You?"

"Shrapnel just missed my cockpit. Can you eject?"

"Okay." When she did, the screens began to display the statistics of the simulator mission they were playing. All conditions were met, with a flashing "CONGRATULATIONS!" at the end.

Kallen's simulator unit opened to reveal an exhilerated Lelouch who lifted her off it as they both laughed. Other visitors to Camelot's R&D museum clapped at their performance.

"Best team ever!"

"You know it!"

When the crowd finally dispersed, Lelouch let out a "Yow!" while a slap echoed in the hall.

"That was a dangerous maneuver!"

"It was a calculated risk," defended Lelouch, rubbing his left arm where Kallen smacked him. "Ejections are counted as survivors."

"I meant you running decoy," she countered. "Even in the track team, you tend to see nowhere but straight ahead when you run. What if it decided to cut you off instead of tailing you?"

"You'll be there," he answered without hesitation. "You always were." He was referring to the video games they used to play.

"Shut up," said Kallen, blushing, her voice tiny.

"Somebody's early," came an older man's voice. Both Kallen and Lelouch turned to see Arthur approaching them. "You're not due for another five days."

"Your hi―, Arthur," Lelouch greeted, quickly correcting himself. The man didn't care much for titles. "We thought we'd look around; get to know the place."

"And decided to have at our Knightmare Frame exhibit's simulator while you're at it! Kallen," he greeted, kissing her hand. "Incredible performance, by the way."

"I'm just glad it's not real," said Kallen. "My heart was racing the whole time."

"Some would prefer the adrenaline rush," supplied Arthur.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Kallen's voice was quiet. It was in a tone even Lelouch had never heard before. Concerned, he decided that they took their leave.

Arthur went to where the program for the simulators was being monitored. As he expected, he found his three grand-nieces there.

"They beat it," spoke Kay. "They actually beat it!"

"That strategy was unprecedented," came Merle's voice. "Then that finishing move!"

"And how they worked together," said Gwen. "They trusted each other completely!"

"What does this mean, Grand-uncle?"

"It can only mean one thing," replied Arthur, the three girls giving him their full attention. "The simulators are going to need a new program if we're going to keep that exhibit interesting. Now, get to work." He left for his office as a collective groan was heard behind him.

Elsewhere,

"Are you okay?"

"I enjoyed it," Kallen's voice was unsteady. "I'm going to be a doctor, but I enjoyed the simulation. The destruction!"

"It wasn't real," Lelouch countered, pulling her close to help calm her. "You said so, yourself."

"You're right," she agreed. "Maybe I'm just tired."

"It is getting late. Let's get you home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, deliberately left it hanging. Will there be babies? Will there be triple-babysitters? Will there be further appearances by their past selves? Will there be war looming around the corner? Will there be pizza?!
> 
> Like I told a reviwer in FFN, I didn't think that far ahead for this story (this fic was more like an itch that needed to be scratched, actually), so I'm finishing this here.
> 
> Next chapter is an expansion of their first night at the house. You have been warned.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the ride!


	12. Rest Stop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING!** Just for this chapter, explicit depictions of physical intimacy. Don't like? Don't read.
> 
> This was my first try at writing a love scene. It was briefly posted in FFN, but later taken down after much consideration. I'm glad one reader did express their apprecition of it, though.
> 
> And so, this one's here to stay in AO3.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

At last.

Ever since that day when he realized his feelings for her. Ever since that day when she accepted him unconditionally. After he nearly lost her forever.

He could finally love her the way he wanted. The way she deserved to be loved.

With how well ― almost perfectly ― things fell into place so that they could live as husband and wife, if one asked him, he would say he had no regrets. Truth be told, he had one: that he had not been able to pleasure her properly during their first time. The slightest excitement had triggered her asthma, and her inhaler's effect could only last for so long. In the end, he had skipped to the main event. She had assured him back then that it had been a "nice" experience for her, but he always felt he could have done better.

No matter. He was about to make up for it tonight.

Now, as they both sat in the middle of the bed, already naked from the waist up, he took the time to admire her now firmer torso. If he assumed correctly, she had more exercise during past few months than the rest of her eighteen years, combined. The softness of what he had assumed to be baby fat during their first time made way to more womanly curves, especially around her waist. He had an idea to tease her about it, but changed his mind as soon as it popped up.

Tonight, she would be worshiped.

He pulled her flush against his body, enjoying their first skin-to-skin contact in nearly a year. The yielding softness of her breasts. Her now firmer belly. Her heartbeat against his chest. He inhaled her scent from behind her ear, and he felt her do the same. Kallen adjusted her position so she could straddle him, then, desiring more contact, pressed herself harder against him.

Lelouch loosened his embrace by a fraction, giving Kallen room to do as she pleased. With her eyes closed, she rubbed her cheek against his neck, breathing deeply. Her lips then followed the trail that her cheek made, planting kisses on his shoulder. His neck. His ear. His jaw. Then finally, his lips.

She pulled back from the kiss but kept her eyes closed. This was as far as she had gone before she first needed her inhaler, last time. Now, she was fine. She was more than fine. She was just getting started, and was ready for more.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. A part of her was expecting Lelouch to make a joke of it (maybe holding up her old inhaler so she could swat it away), or look at her with a bit of worry, wondering if she was alright just like last time. Her eyes opened fully to see a sight that made her already loudly-beating heart flutter. Lelouch was gazing at her with absolute adoration.

Embarassed by the attention, she curled up under his chin, which was her habit when shyness struck. With a sigh, Lelouch slowly goaded her out of that position by planting kisses and inhaling deeply. On her head, then her temple, behind her ear, then slowly burrowing his way in, through her jaw, her chin, until she finally relented and their lips met once more.

What was she thinking, she finally asked herself. This was Lelouch.  _Her_ Lelouch. She trusted no one more. Besides, what did she expect? They got naked (well, half-naked) on their bed. In their new house. As husband and wife. Might as well give in and let him have his way with her, perverted as that sounded in her head.

With her arms around his neck, she leaned back to lie on the bed, at the same time inviting him to follow. With her back firmly on the bed, she let her arms fall, leaving herself open to accept his ministrations.

Hovering above her, Lelouch gulped. Just as before, he had this fear of ending up hurting her when he saw her as vulnerable as she did now. Still, he was determined to see this through. He could only hope that she would appreciate what he had in store for her tonight.

Truth be told, he had been trying to get her to tell him what she would like to try the next time they slept together. Every time, though, she'd only blush hotly and change the subject. Since he also didn't know what she _wouldn't_ want, he'd have to play it by ear for now. He hoped she would become more comfortable with her sexuality to share her thoughts after.

He started out simple, bending down to lightly kiss her lips. Again. And again. The next one lightly nibbled at her upper lip. Then her lower lip. He swallowed before letting his tongue out, lightly licking at her lips, as he would lick soft ice cream. He pulled back when she stiffened a bit. He caressed her cheeks to help her relax, and she sighed in response. Cradling her chin this time, he repeated the sequence. Her breath hitched once, then sighed. A few more moments of this, and she was lifting her chin on her own to give him better access.

A short while later he pulled back, then took advantage of her upturned face to kiss her neck, paying special attention to the pulse point where her skin was sensitive. Kallen's sharp intake of breath only served to encourage him, alternating between nibbling, sucking, and licking; keeping them random to keep her guessing. When her sighs came out with tiny mewls, he moved to his next objective.

He slowly kissed a trail down to her collarbone, then to her chest. He paused momentarily where a thin white line marked her skin, where angry stitches used to be. He made a mental note to thank his uncle later for throwing in reconstructive surgery in her list of procedures as a wedding gift. He trailed wet kisses along this line, making her breath hitch every time his tongue touched the sensitive skin.

So far so good, he thought, continuing his progress to her stomach. With how she was reacting so far, he thought to test her reaction to his next move. He moved slightly backward while he continued his trail of kisses on her belly. When his torso passed her bent knees, his hands teased the top of her thighs where they were exposed between the hem of her shorts and the top of her socks with slow circles.

His lips reaching the top of her shorts, he paused a moment to make sure she was watching. The moment their eyes made contact, he undid the button of her shorts with his teeth. When he pulled back, he found his progress blocked by her hands. He sat up in surprise and she had also clamped her knees together. Lelouch looked up to Kallen's face in question. Her lips formed a tight line as she shook her head.

It seemed she wasn't ready for that one yet. Lelouch nodded in acknolwedgement. With that she relaxed a bit. The current position of her arms, however, drew Lelouch's attention to her full breasts. He now had his next target. Positioning his body along her right flank, he bent down to kiss her wrists, then followed her right arm upward to her shoulder. Arriving at a face-to-face level with her, he laid down on his side before pulling her into another lingering kiss.

Kallen couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Everything Lelouch has done so far felt amazing. She probably ruined the mood by blocking him like that. It was just... she thought it was disgusting to let anything down there into anyone's mouth. As much as she loved Lelouch and how much she knew he loved her, she coudldn't subject him to that kind of treatment.

Even if she did a have little something special for him there.

So it was for this reason that she moaned into the kiss and wrapped her arm around his chest. She wanted this. She didn't want to stop. She wa―

She arched her back, pressing her chest harder into his chest when Lelouch lightly ran a finger down her spine, from the back of her neck all the way to her waist. Then, just as lightly he caressed upward on her side, lightly grazing the bottom of her left breast before breaking their kiss to gently cup her face. Kallen saw the same adoring look on his face, reassuring her that he hadn't been disappointed with what she did earlier.

In response, she released her hold on him to lie back on the bed, inviting him to continue.

Lelouch wasted no time in seeking out her sensitive pulse point again with his lips, sucking, licking, and nibbling as before. This time Kallen ran her fingers through his hair before settling behind his neck. He smiled against her neck; she was expressing her enjoyment in bed. Little though the gesture was, it was a big deal for him. It was as if a goddess ―  _his_ goddess ― was finally answering his prayers.

Encouraged, he trailed his kisses lower, passing her scar once again, this time turning back upward to circle her right breast, even as his right hand traced a light spiral around the left one. Reaching the top, he paused to focus on her now hardened nipple before taking it into his mouth.

 _Oh God._ When Kallen told herself that she was ready for more, she hadn't expected it to be _this_ much more. She didn't realize that her nipples could become this sensitive. And every ― _oh!_ ― that Lelouch was ― _oh GOD!_ ― only seemed to open up every nerve in her body. Even his hair touching the skin of her chest was sending tingles of pleasure all over. She could already feel a heat beginning in her belly that she never felt before.

Overwhelmed as she was by the sensations, she was only barely aware that an arm made its way underneath her, the hand attached to it emerging at her left side. She hardly noticed that the hand at her left breast was replaced with another, picking up where it had left off. The hand that was freed made circles on her belly, moving lower and lower, until―

Lelouch paused his teasing when Kallen gasped loudly and arched her back. His hand just touched her nub from the top of her already-damp underwear. When she had recovered enough from her initial surprise, he went back to work, both of his hands and his mouth working together to take her to higher heights.

Kallen couldn't think, anymore. Her breathing had turned irregular, making her lightheaded. A part of her wanted to try and get away, get some respite. Another, greater part of her didn't want it to stop. There was something buildng up within her, and it was begging for completion, and Lelouch's ministrations seemed to respond to it by intensifying his touches. She was sweating all over, now, throwing her head this way and that. Then she felt it ― like the sound of water filling up a glass, slowly but surely approaching the brim. Her breathing changed with it. She blindly grabbed Lelouch's shoulder, suddenly needing added asssurance of his presence in all this. She inhaled once. Twice. And―

Her body gave a mighty jerk followed by small spasms as Lelouch felt added warmth in his hand between her legs. He slowed his movements to a stop before detaching himself from her, letting her lie limp on the bed. Admiring his handiwork, he watched Kallen's expressions as she rode the echoes of her climax: Half-lidded eyes looking at something far away, cheeks dusted with pink from her exertion, lips slightly parted, skin glistened with sweat, while her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. He thought it was a good look on her, and he felt a sense of pride for bringing it about.

But this was only the beginning.

Not to say that he would play all his cards tonight; they had the rest of their lives together for that. They were both still half-naked, after all. It won't do at all if they stopped now.

Kallen slowly came down from her high just as Lelouch finished peeling off her socks. While she preferred shorts since she became more physically active after her procedure, she still wasn't comfortable showing off her skin, so she wore a pair that went as high as her thighs. Lelouch didn't seem to mind, as she seemed to enjoy rolling them into doughnuts whenever he volunteered to take them off her. He felt her gaze just as he was about to pull down her shorts, and their eyes met. She bit her bottom lip, giving him a coy look, while she waited for him to _unwrap_ the surprise she had for him.

 _Goddess!_ Lelouch had no other words to how he felt when Kallen gave him that look. especially from his vantage point below her breasts. She was above in the heavens while he was below on earth, and her eyes twinkled with promise upon what he now held in his hands. Gulping, he slowly pulled down, as she lifted her hips to assist his progress.

Her shorts reached the middle of her thighs before Lelouch understood what he was looking at. His eyes boggled in disbelief before deciding to take her shorts off completely so he could get a better look. That she was wearing the bottom of a white string bikini was obvious, its laces tied up low on her hips. What especially drew his attention, however, was the little red embroidered "L" near the left edge.

He had given her the white set of swimwear as part of a dare, back when they were in middle school. He had agreed to everything, including the addition of his initial so they would be sure she would be wearing the same set in the upcoming pool party. Back then, he hadn't known what effect it would have on hot-blooded males (especially when wet) and didn't think Kallen would mind, and it honestly confused him when the pool party finally came and she had refused to speak to him or even change into swim wear. He asked her as much, but she only responded with a glare, and he was left with a feeling that he had disappointed her, somehow. A talk with his mother afterward made him realize what the dare had been all about. He had apologized, of course, he was forgiven, and they never spoke of it again. He had assumed that she threw them away even before the pool party.

Yet here it was.  _She kept it!_ Inexplicably, he felt... _joy_ over this fact. His contemplation of how it got here, however, was quickly replaced by his attention to its current state. Its lower section was damp with her arousal. A ghost of red curls was peeking through the semitransparency, and in the middle of them...

He groaned, If his pants had been steadily growing tighter before, the sight before him just made it unbearable.

Perhaps sensing his discomfort, Kallen sat up and began to unbutton his pants. He took advantage of their closeness to capture her lips again, pouring his heart into it, appreciating what she had done for him. She returned the kiss just as lovingly. He groaned into the kiss when she pulled his pants down below his hips. Then, when he felt her hook her toes into the waistband of his pants, he pushed himself forward just as she pulled back, straightening his knees the same time she did hers; the movement so fluid and even graceful, had they had an audience, they would probably swear it was rehearsed.

They broke the kiss then took a moment to enjoy the contact that their now-aligned bodies provided. Chest against chest. Belly against belly. Thigh against thigh. Leg against leg. For a short moment "other" didn't exist, though they both knew a more profound joining was still to come. Already Kallen could feel more heat between her legs, and she could feel it was the same for him. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with his scent, felt it become part of her just as oxygen would join with her blood. But she wanted more of him. She wanted him _now!_

Somehow, she managed to turn them over so she was hovering over him. At the look of surprise on his face, her lips formed a confident smirk. That quickly faded, however, when she realized she had no idea what she wanted to do next. Perhaps sensing this, Lelouch gently took both her hands and settled them on his chest, at the same time causing her to straddle his waist. When she still didn't move, he guided them towards his own nipples, encouraging her to touch them as she pleased. She did so, tentatively at first, then more confidently after he sighed contentedly. After a while, she tried copying his earlier actions, bending down to trail kisses from his collarbone, then to his chest. When she adjusted her position as she moved lower, they both arched their backs, inhaling loudly at the sensation of their still-covered sexes coming together.

Lelouch's hips bucked involuntarily when she moved away, not wanting to be separated from her heat. The feeling of loss was quickly replaced by a sense of freedom when Kallen finally removed his boxers. He looked down to see her blushing hotly, but with a look of utter concentration on her face. She raised a hand, hesitated, then tentatively ran her fingers along his length. She gasped and pulled her hand back when it twitched, probably thinking she had hurt him. He caressed her face and lovingly looked back at her, encouraging her to continue. His eyes fluttered closed when her heavenly fingers resumed their work.

When he thought he couldn't take any more, she stopped. He was glad for the respite; if she kept at it, he doubted he could last long when they finally―

He gasped loudly at the new sensation around his shaft. Looking down, he saw her trapping his member between her breasts. He managed to grab her wrists before she moved, the sensations were threatening to make him lose what control he had left. Instead, he gently pulled her up, hoping to regain some control. However, probably in her desire to please him, she let the tip of him slide between her breasts, her belly, slightly sinking into her navel before...

Kallen suddenly found herself lying on her back, Lelouch holding down her wrists, gasping loudly. He kissed her again, this time like a man from the desert, desperate for whatever he can draw drink from. She kissed back with all her strength, with all the desire that had been building up within her, arching her back to press against him. His hands on her wrists moved to interlace their fingers before moving his kisses downward as before. This time Kallen didn't bother to suppress her moans (tiny though they were) letting the pleasure of the experience make itself known. Feeling him undo the laces on her last article of clothing, it took her a while to register that she was still holding both his hands.  _He's using his--!_

She let out a cry of surprise when he pulled it off. It was over before she could stop him. For a moment he just sat there with her underwear hanging from his teeth, looking at her with a predatory look in his eyes. She should be scandalized, she thought, but seeing him like this, and focused on her, it inexplicably excited her all the more.

With a calm uncharacterstic of his current state, Lelouch removed the undergarment from his mouth with his hand and threw it aside. She was more than ready to accept him and he was more than ready to fill her. But she was still his goddess, and he would dare not trespass without her say-so. And so he lowered himself to her, as close as he could be without touching any part of her. He was at the door to her temple awaiting permission to make his offering. Face-to-face, eye-to-eye, both feeling their breaths against each other's face, he waited.

"Please."

He complied.

He captured her lips once more as he slowly entered her. While this wasn't their first, it had been a long time since they last came together. Carefully, patiently he pushed, his progress aided by her incredibly moist walls. With his full length finally within her, they broke the kiss and arched their backs, their entire being singing to celebrate their long-awaited reunion.

Kallen was the first to recover, wrapping her legs around him, encouraging him to continue. The subtle smile that adorned her face just then was one that Lelouch would treasure for the rest of his days. He started out slow, testing how much movement was possible in their current position. Then, satisfied, he started a rhythm that was in sync with her breathing, making his presence within her a part of her being.

Kallen savored every single new sensation with Lelouch inside her. During their first time, she had had too much of her inhaler that her body was weak with the drug. Back then, by the time he had entered her, there was little more that she could do than lie there and try to keep breathing. That had been the reason why she had swatted the inhaler away; she was afraid she wouldn't feel anything, anymore, with the next whiff. It had helped with the pain, true, with her body offering little resistance to his intrusion, and the feeling of him filling her was more than she hoped when she wanted him back in her life, but she always felt she had missed out on something special. Now, she felt everything. Every touch, every sound, every scent, every taste. She savored all of him with all of her. And she loved him more with every inward stroke.

Excited as they both were, it didn't take long for either of them to want to reach their peaks. Lelouch, wanting more contact, shifted his position so he could push deeper within her. Kallen cried out as soon as he resumed his thrusts, making him pause and look at her questioningly.

"Again," she breathlessly said. "There."

In retrospect, her cry hadn't been one of pain. If anything, it sounded...musical. Whatever the case, his goddess has commanded, and he should obey.

He was rewarded when her sounds became more melodic as she held him tighter in response. Pulling, even, as if wanting to take all of him within her. As if recognizing her need, he could feel his body preparing its holy offering. Her breathing had changed again just as he was teetering over the edge. They were both close, and her name escaped his lips as he held on to her for dear life.

They came at nearly the same time, leaving their bodies jerking in its wake. One pushing, the other pulling, completing the ritual that was as old as life itself.

Kallen felt filled ― having felt his seed within her for the first time. Lelouch felt welcomed ― being ensconced within her without the condom coming between them. For the first time since they accepted each other as lovers, both felt complete.

With the last echoes of their ecstasy fading, they held each other closer still. Lelouch's right hand sought out her left. Interlacing their fingers, he brought it up to their chest, where they could feel their hearts beating, made even stronger with how closely they held each other.

"Kallen," he began. "I don't know what the future has in store. But as long as we're together, we can make it work. We can make things happen."

"I belong with you," she responded, "And you belong with me. I was the idiot for believing otherwise."

"I'd like to think we're stronger now for it," he supplied. "At least _you_ are. Your lungs stole the show just now."

Kallen blushed hotly, recalling how she screamed when they found her secret spot. "That was―"

"I loved it," he interrupted, already moving to position himself above her. "I want to hear it again," he declared, kissing her deeply once again.

They made love once more that night, before finally giving in to the exhaustion from their trip and their union, wrapped still in each other's arms.


End file.
